A former employee in Commerce City, Colorado, says a top official made racist remarks about members of the Navajo Nation, Indian Country Today reports.

Stephanie Salazar worked for the city as its economic development director. At a meeting in 2007, she said city manager Gerald Flannery [pictured at right] described Navajos as lazy and unclean.

According to the lawsuit, Flannery was a deputy county manager for Coconino County, Arizona, which includes a part of the Navajo Nation. He “indicated that Navajos are lazy and that keeping up ‘clean’ appearances was not a priority for Navajo people," ICT reported.

Salazar had hired a Navajo woman to work for city government. Flannery was surprised that the woman “took the initiative to apply for the position," ICT reported.

Salazar filed the lawsuit after she was terminated. She says she was replaced by a younger woman.

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Lawsuit alleges racist remarks (Indian Country Today 7/17)